Can't decide! Mediterranean on Oasis or Norway on Anthem

[TessFromFlorida]

Due to a family obligation, my children (15M/17F) and I will be in the UK next July, so, of course, I started cruise shopping in an effort to double dip and fit our vacation into this trip. I need to work within a two-week window and have narrowed my choices down to two itineraries, and they couldn't be more different.

Option 1: Oasis out of Barcelona, with port stops in Palma de Mallorca (undecided), La Spezia (sightseeing tour of Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome food tour), and Naples (explore Capri).

Option 2: Anthem out of Southampton, with port stops in Bergen (Bryggen Harbour and cable car), Olden (Briksdal Glacier/troll car), Flam (zipline, bike ride, and railway), and Bruges (explore a bit and canal boat tour).

For some additional context, this past summer, we had a fantastic time on Odyssey out of Civitavecchia - our first trip to the Mediterranean. Our excursions included Rome, Positano, Sorrento, Pompeii, Ephesus, Santorini, and Mykonos with a morning in Delos.

I see pros and cons of the Mediterranean and the Norway cruise. What gives me pause about option 1 is the heat. This summer, we sailed in late June and just missed a pretty bad heatwave. From what I have read, Spain can be brutal in the summer. We would also be visiting Rome and Naples two years in a row, though doing different activities. 

What gives me pause about option 2 is that we sailed on Ovation last summer (2022) to Alaska out of Seattle and really enjoyed it. I am concerned that Norway may offer a very similar experience. However, it does look amazing (I can thank Matt for the Norway bug)! I've been to Bruges before, but my kids haven't, and our only experience in Norway was a brief layover in Oslo this summer, so that doesn't really count.

Both trips cost pretty much the same for a mid-ship balcony, with Norway coming out a few hundred dollars more. I put refundable deposits on both to hold the rooms while I make up my mind.

I would love any and all feedback! Since I will be paying this off for the next year or so, I want to be sure I am carefully considering my options. I am of course Googling, reading blogs, and watching YouTube videos like crazy, but most of what I have learned about cruising I have learned here. 

[Marga]

Difficult choice. I am currently on Anthem and it's a nice ship. However not many activities, especially for kids. We were on Odyssey last year which is pretty much the same ship but had a much better time. Also the Wow factor was a little bit less for us because it is such a copy of Odyssey. 

Did the Med twice on Oasis Class ships and loved it. 

Palma de Mallorca there is really nothing to do. Just a tourist shopping town. Marseille is okay, but better to take an excursion outside of town. Barcelona is worth it, so are Florence and Napels. If you have seen Napels last time take the train to Pompeii. It is just amazing.

I don't have kids, and you don't mention how old yours are. But I think they would like Oasis better from what I've seen on Anthem this week. 

 

[FionaMG]

Norway. 100%.

There are several reasons for this but the most compelling one is that the Norwegian government is in the process of implementing measures to severely restrict large cruise ships in the deep sea fjords (Olden, Flam and Geiranger) due to environmental concerns. The current time line suggests these measures are likely to be brought in in 2026, so if a cruise to Norway is on your bucket list it needs to be done NOW.

The 7-night Oasis itinerary in the Med is a standard route that an Oasis-class ship sails every year, just depending on which one is due to come across the pond for its dry dock, so that's likely to be an option for years to come.

Secondly, there's the convenience factor. Why fly to Barcelona to join Oasis when the Anthem sails from the country you're already in? Plus, you'd need to factor in the additional cost of getting your family and your luggage (assuming you're not travelling just with hand luggage the baggage fees will cause sticker shock) to Barcelona.

Thirdly, things to do on the ship. Well, in my opinion, if you're coming across the pond and planning on doing a cruise your primary interest is going to be the ports rather than the ship itself. This is because by the time you get back on board after your day's sightseeing you're going to be too tired to want to do much more than eat and sleep. You probably experienced this on your Odyssey sailing. And with that in mind, there is actually plenty to keep you and your kids occupied during your time on board Anthem. It is actually an earlier version of Odyssey and, admittedly, to my mind, not quite as good. The Seaplex, in particular, is far better on Odyssey than it is on Anthem. However, Anthem does have a family-friendly heated indoor pool if the weather decides to be less than friendly.

Consequently, I see no point in choosing Oasis for bells and whistles you're unlikely to use. Save the Oasis class cruise for a sailing out of Florida when you're more likely to be able to take advantage of everything the ship has to offer.

On now to the ports. I did a Norway cruise on Anthem just this past July and it was fantastic. We stopped in Bergen, Olden, Geiranger and Haugesund, so not all the same ports as you, but I can tell you that you don't need to buy Royal's expensive excursions in either Bergen or Olden. The funicular in Bergen is in walking distance from the port and you can buy tickets here: https://floyen.no/en/floibanen

Do buy the tickets in advance and go as early as you can because the queue was massive when we got there at about 11 am. Full disclosure, we did not ride on the funicular; we walked up and then back down. It is also possible to ride up and then walk back down. It was very busy at the top but we then walked a little bit farther (5-10 mins) to reach Skomakerdiket, where there is a lovely quiet lake with a cafe and you can sample a typical pancake with jam and/or traditional Norwegian brown cheese. https://floyen.no/en/activities/walks-hikes-floyen/skomakerdiket/

Here are a couple of my pics from the top to whet your appetite:

You will still have time to wander the harbour afterwards:

In Olden, don't take the outrageously expensive Royal excursion to the glacier. There is a company right there at the port called Olden Adventure that does the exact same excursion much cheaper. https://www.oldencruise.com/

As well as the glacier trip, they also offer the Loen Skylift, which you may like to consider as an alternative or even as a second excursion of the day. It should be possible to fit both of them in if you're really keen, although it might be a little bit of a rush.

We opted to do the Skylift and it was just amazing:

All of that said, if you ultimately decide to do the Med instead, for your Palma de Mallorca stop and depending on how active or chilled you want to be, you could take an excursion to the Caves of Drach, which are absolutely worth seeing (my pics are from a few years back now and don't do them justice):

Or you could simply make this a beach stop. There are several very good beaches nearby and although Royal are sure to have a "Beach Transfer" option, you're probably best just getting a taxi as that way you can go and come back on your own schedule (it will probably be cheaper too). In full disclosure, we are not beach people so I have not done a beach stop here myself but I have seen this one recommended to cruisers on another forum by an ex-pat Brit who lives on the island: https://balnearioilletas.com/en/

You can probably find others with the help of Google if you think you do fancy a relaxing beach day.

Sorry for the length of the post but you did say "any and all feedback"...

Hope it helps.

 

[HeWhoWaits]

Since you already had a Mediterranean cruise, Norway is the obvious choice. Expand your horizons.

[Xaa]

I don't think a cruiser could go wrong in any situation listening to the advice of @FionaMG

[FionaMG]

14 minutes ago, Xaa said:

I don't think a cruiser could go wrong in any situation listening to the advice of @FionaMG

Awww, thank you.

[Matt]

July? Norway.

You'll melt in the Med

[Lovetocruise2002]

2 hours ago, FionaMG said:

Norway. 100%.

There are several reasons for this but the most compelling one is that the Norwegian government is in the process of implementing measures to severely restrict large cruise ships in the deep sea fjords (Olden, Flam and Geiranger) due to environmental concerns. The current time line suggests these measures are likely to be brought in in 2026, so if a cruise to Norway is on your bucket list it needs to be done NOW.

^^^this 100%

Both destinations are super hard to turn down, however, the time to sail Norway is running out. The med will be there for quite some time still. Norway, on the other hand is a must do, it's breathtaking, and like @FionaMG already said, there may not be much time left to do it.

[FireFishII]

I was just on a cruise between Barcelona and Rome this past July.  The temps were over 100 degrees.  While the sights were great, the heat was a killer.  Never again will I go to the Med in July.  Now Norway - that is perfect month to visit. GO!

[TessFromFlorida]

11 hours ago, Marga said:

Difficult choice. I am currently on Anthem and it's a nice ship. However not many activities, especially for kids. We were on Odyssey last year which is pretty much the same ship but had a much better time. Also the Wow factor was a little bit less for us because it is such a copy of Odyssey. 

Did the Med twice on Oasis Class ships and loved it. 

Palma de Mallorca there is really nothing to do. Just a tourist shopping town. Marseille is okay, but better to take an excursion outside of town. Barcelona is worth it, so are Florence and Napels. If you have seen Napels last time take the train to Pompeii. It is just amazing.

I don't have kids, and you don't mention how old yours are. But I think they would like Oasis better from what I've seen on Anthem this week. 

 

Yes- the age of the kids matter! 15M/17F. I was disappointed that there were few activities for teens on Odyssey, but it was so port-intensive and there was of course a language barrier, so it didn't matter much. You also bring up a great point... Odyssey and Ovation are sister ships and Anthem makes three for us. Eventually I will need to check Anthem off my list, but one of the pros with Spain/Italy is sailing on Oasis. Devil on my shoulder- I live in Florida, so there will be other opportunities  

[TessFromFlorida]

7 hours ago, FionaMG said:

Norway. 100%.

There are several reasons for this but the most compelling one is that the Norwegian government is in the process of implementing measures to severely restrict large cruise ships in the deep sea fjords (Olden, Flam and Geiranger) due to environmental concerns. The current time line suggests these measures are likely to be brought in in 2026, so if a cruise to Norway is on your bucket list it needs to be done NOW.

The 7-night Oasis itinerary in the Med is a standard route that an Oasis-class ship sails every year, just depending on which one is due to come across the pond for its dry dock, so that's likely to be an option for years to come.

Secondly, there's the convenience factor. Why fly to Barcelona to join Oasis when the Anthem sails from the country you're already in? Plus, you'd need to factor in the additional cost of getting your family and your luggage (assuming you're not travelling just with hand luggage the baggage fees will cause sticker shock) to Barcelona.

Thirdly, things to do on the ship. Well, in my opinion, if you're coming across the pond and planning on doing a cruise your primary interest is going to be the ports rather than the ship itself. This is because by the time you get back on board after your day's sightseeing you're going to be too tired to want to do much more than eat and sleep. You probably experienced this on your Odyssey sailing. And with that in mind, there is actually plenty to keep you and your kids occupied during your time on board Anthem. It is actually an earlier version of Odyssey and, admittedly, to my mind, not quite as good. The Seaplex, in particular, is far better on Odyssey than it is on Anthem. However, Anthem does have a family-friendly heated indoor pool if the weather decides to be less than friendly.

Consequently, I see no point in choosing Oasis for bells and whistles you're unlikely to use. Save the Oasis class cruise for a sailing out of Florida when you're more likely to be able to take advantage of everything the ship has to offer.

On now to the ports. I did a Norway cruise on Anthem just this past July and it was fantastic. We stopped in Bergen, Olden, Geiranger and Haugesund, so not all the same ports as you, but I can tell you that you don't need to buy Royal's expensive excursions in either Bergen or Olden. The funicular in Bergen is in walking distance from the port and you can buy tickets here: https://floyen.no/en/floibanen

Do buy the tickets in advance and go as early as you can because the queue was massive when we got there at about 11 am. Full disclosure, we did not ride on the funicular; we walked up and then back down. It is also possible to ride up and then walk back down. It was very busy at the top but we then walked a little bit farther (5-10 mins) to reach Skomakerdiket, where there is a lovely quiet lake with a cafe and you can sample a typical pancake with jam and/or traditional Norwegian brown cheese. https://floyen.no/en/activities/walks-hikes-floyen/skomakerdiket/

Here are a couple of my pics from the top to whet your appetite:

You will still have time to wander the harbour afterwards:

In Olden, don't take the outrageously expensive Royal excursion to the glacier. There is a company right there at the port called Olden Adventure that does the exact same excursion much cheaper. https://www.oldencruise.com/

As well as the glacier trip, they also offer the Loen Skylift, which you may like to consider as an alternative or even as a second excursion of the day. It should be possible to fit both of them in if you're really keen, although it might be a little bit of a rush.

We opted to do the Skylift and it was just amazing:

All of that said, if you ultimately decide to do the Med instead, for your Palma de Mallorca stop and depending on how active or chilled you want to be, you could take an excursion to the Caves of Drach, which are absolutely worth seeing (my pics are from a few years back now and don't do them justice):

Or you could simply make this a beach stop. There are several very good beaches nearby and although Royal are sure to have a "Beach Transfer" option, you're probably best just getting a taxi as that way you can go and come back on your own schedule (it will probably be cheaper too). In full disclosure, we are not beach people so I have not done a beach stop here myself but I have seen this one recommended to cruisers on another forum by an ex-pat Brit who lives on the island: https://balnearioilletas.com/en/

You can probably find others with the help of Google if you think you do fancy a relaxing beach day.

Sorry for the length of the post but you did say "any and all feedback"...

Hope it helps.

 

Fantastic points! I had no idea about the possible legislation, so yes- that is definitely a pro Norway. We are not beach people, so your comments re Mallorca gives me pause. Thank you so very much for the detailed response, tips, and the pictures- this is fantastic

[TessFromFlorida]

6 hours ago, Matt said:

July? Norway.

You'll melt in the Med

I have you to thank for planting the seed  Keep up the great work!

[Freegirl]

We did the exact Oasis cruise in May of 2019. As someone mentioned, seeing Pompeii was definitely amazing. And we also took the opportunity to visit the top of Mt. Vesuvius. We enjoyed the itinerary, but even in mid May, it got quite hot.

We also just returned from a 7-night Norway cruise on Anthem. (9/3-9/10 -- Stavanger, Olden, Geiranger, and Haugesund)

I HIGHLY recommend visiting the Norwegian fjords before the environmental laws begin restricting the ships that can sail there. The views were stunning and like nothing I have seen before. Pictures just cannot do the fjords justice!

Our favorite day was Olden when we went up on the Loen skylift. When we went up the skylift a bit before 10:00am, the whole area was covered in clouds and fog. We were worried at first that we would not have anything to see at the top. But, within an hour, the fog and clouds were gone and the view was amazing. Pictures below!!

If you choose to do the Loen skylift, do not do it through a ship excursion or part of a tour where you will be rushed. You can purchase tickets directly through Olden Adventures and they have a shuttle bus running at least every half hour to/from the pier. You can visit at your leisure, but I recommend getting there as early as possible to avoid long lines. Also, once at the summit, there is a restaurant/bar, zipline, and numerous other trails to hike further up the mountain. The trails are relatively easy to navigate and offer fantastic views.

Both itineraries are great, but my vote goes to Norway.

 

[Jill]

Norway because of what they’re implementing in 2026 restricting large ships. 

[TessFromFlorida]

3 hours ago, Freegirl said:

We did the exact Oasis cruise in May of 2019. As someone mentioned, seeing Pompeii was definitely amazing. And we also took the opportunity to visit the top of Mt. Vesuvius. We enjoyed the itinerary, but even in mid May, it got quite hot.

We also just returned from a 7-night Norway cruise on Anthem. (9/3-9/10 -- Stavanger, Olden, Geiranger, and Haugesund)

I HIGHLY recommend visiting the Norwegian fjords before the environmental laws begin restricting the ships that can sail there. The views were stunning and like nothing I have seen before. Pictures just cannot do the fjords justice!

Our favorite day was Olden when we went up on the Loen skylift. When we went up the skylift a bit before 10:00am, the whole area was covered in clouds and fog. We were worried at first that we would not have anything to see at the top. But, within an hour, the fog and clouds were gone and the view was amazing. Pictures below!!

If you choose to do the Loen skylift, do not do it through a ship excursion or part of a tour where you will be rushed. You can purchase tickets directly through Olden Adventures and they have a shuttle bus running at least every half hour to/from the pier. You can visit at your leisure, but I recommend getting there as early as possible to avoid long lines. Also, once at the summit, there is a restaurant/bar, zipline, and numerous other trails to hike further up the mountain. The trails are relatively easy to navigate and offer fantastic views.

Both itineraries are great, but my vote goes to Norway.

 

Thank you! Great tips for our visit to Olden  I believe that stop will be our favorite as well.

We loved Pompeii, despite the 100 degree weather! We had an action-packed excursion that day and hit Pompeii last, which was hot, but the crowds were bearable.